Sedation & care setting
Endoscopy can involve different sedation and facility arrangements. The choice takes account of the procedure, your health, safety needs and personal circumstances.
Sedation
Sedative medicine is usually used for endoscopy to reduce discomfort. Its depth is adjusted to the patient and the procedure; not everyone is fully asleep.
How quickly you wake and recover varies with the person, medicines and dose. Follow the discharge instructions given to you on the day.
Monitored anaesthesia care (MAC)
With MAC, an anaesthetist continuously assesses, monitors and gives medication as needed. In endoscopy it often involves deeper sedation.
MAC and sedation are not distinguished by sleep depth alone, and MAC does not guarantee a faster recovery. It usually costs more because an anaesthetist is required. Insurance reimbursement or pre-authorisation depends on your policy.
Day centre or hospital day unit
For routine diagnostic endoscopy, Dr Ng’s arrangements can use comparable endoscopy equipment and trained teams in either setting; the core examination is not materially different.
Backup facilities, monitoring resources and the ability to stay overnight can differ. The most suitable setting depends on individual risk and the resources available.
When is hospital care advised?
Patients who are frail or have several other medical conditions may be better served by overnight observation. Very large polyps or other higher-risk therapeutic procedures should be arranged in hospital.
In Dr Ng’s practice ERCP is always performed in hospital, either as a day admission or with an overnight stay. The final setting, anaesthesia plan and stay are decided after assessment.
Professional references
Contact the practice
Consultations and endoscopy are by appointment, Monday to Saturday. Phone lines may be busy; please contact the nurses via WhatsApp where possible.
Personalised clinical advice depends on an individual assessment.
Please do not send sensitive medical details in a message. Confirm your exact practice location when booking.